Schoolchildren in eastern China won't have to wonder how far to stand from their peers now that they're back in class. Their wide, winged hats will do the social distancing for them.
The DIY contraption not only keeps them one meter apart, but also gives the kids a creative medium of expression.
On April 26, students of grade one to grade three in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province started their new semester. A series of photos show that in Yangzheng Elementary School, students are wearing pretty peculiar headgear on their first day back in school.
The hats, designed by students, are made of easy-fo-find craft materials like construction paper and foam, and decorated with colorful paint, feathers, stickers and even balloons.
△ Masks are also required
But the most significant design features are the wing-like flaps. Some kids made their long flaps out of colorful cardboard tubes, others out of ballons. Some crafty kids decorated their flaps with birds, leaves and rainbows.
"We're advocating students to wear a one-meter hat and maintain one-meter distance," the Zhejiang Daily newspaper quoted Hong Feng, the school's vice principal.
△ This kid has written "China, fighting" on his hat
With the hats, kids don't need to worry about social distancing in school, simply because the headgear is already doing it for you.
"As children can see and feel these hats, and when the 'wings' hit one another, they may be more able to understand the expectations and remember to keep their physical distance," said Ian Lam Chun-bun, associated head of the department of early childhood education at the Education University of Hong Kong.
Along with teaching the students about social distancing, the headgear is giving the kids a history lesson: the hats resemble those who worn during the Song Dynasty, which ruled China between 960 and 1279.
△ A Duke University professor of Asian and Middle Eastern studies explained on Twitter
As COVID-19 infections decreased in China these days, more and more schools and universities announced their plan to reopen after a long break. Nothing beats seeing your friends back in school in goofy cute hats.
Hopefully, more schools can pick up on this ingenious idea by Yangzheng school to encourage safe distancing.
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SOURCE | The Paper / CNET / SCMP
